Alleged Raritan Township weapons dealer arrested by SWAT teams has had trouble with law, records show

The Raritan Township man who was arrested today for allegedly stockpiling and selling assault weapons, ammunition and explosives at his residence has had previous run-ins with the law, police records show.

James Patrick Donovan, 37, of Raritan Township, was arrested on multiple counts of unlawful possession of weapons (second degree), unlawful possession of assault firearms (second degree), certain persons not to possess weapons (second degree) and possession of anabolic steroids (third degree), Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns, III said.
"The arrest resulted from an investigation into the trafficking of assault weapons," he said.
He was "arrested without incident" as he left his Haddenford Drive residence by SWAT team members from Hunterdon and Somerset counties, Kearns said.
Judge Stephen Rubin set Donovan's bail at $100,000 and he is being held in the county jail pending a first court appearance.

Donovan is a 1993 graduate of Hunterdon Central Regional High School.

In 1995 Donovan, then 20, was arrested on charges of possessing and distributing the drug Rohypnol to an estimated 30 to 40 people at an unsupervised house party, according to a Hunterdon County Democrat report at the time. He was also charged with possessing marijuana, Ativan, Ketamine and drug paraphernalia.

His parents, James and Stephanie Donovan, were also charged at the same time with possessing marijuana, Ativan and drug paraphernalia, according to the report.

The Donovans' Old York Road house was searched by police during their investigation of the party, which ended in the arrest of two dozen people on drug charges. The party was at a house on Plennert Road. Three people were hospitalized for drug overdoses, including a 20-year-old woman who was found unconscious and nearly died.

Donovan

On Aug. 22, 1996, Donovan pled guilty to certain drug charges and was sentenced Nov. 27 of that year to three years' probation and 50 hours of community service.

In 1997 Donovan, then 22, was arrested by High Bridge police for allegedly trespassing on the Lake Solitude waterfalls, police records show.

In 1999, he turned himself into the Sheriff's Department for violating his probation. He was taken into custody and held in the county jail. The warrant did not allow bail.

Assisting with Donovan's arrest today was the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office, Raritan Township police, the New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad and K-9 Unit, Kearns said.

Leading the investigation was the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office Gangs, Guns and Narcotics Task Force, Kearns said.

A Democrat reader was an eyewitness and submitted this photo of police taking James Patrick Donovan into custody.

"We did not want to take any chances with this suspect,” he said. “We waited for the appropriate time and place to take him into custody. I commend the professionalism and teamwork of all the agencies involved in arresting this dangerous individual in a safe manner. As always, the safety of the community was our utmost concern.”

Kearns said the investigation is ongoing and that further details will be provided later.